Antenna



May 20, 1958 J. J.. BRAUND l 2,835,893

ANTENNA Filed Jan. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NN o @C UUHUUUUUQUUUU UU HUUJ! tlv) Imm*

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John Jl Braund ATTORNEYS May 20, 1958 J. J. BRAUND 2,835,893

` ANTENNA Filed Jan. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. John J. Braund MMM ATTORNEYS United States Patent() ANTENNA John J. Braund, Washington, D. C. Application January 25, 1956, Serial No. 561,254 10 Claims. (Cl. 343895) The present invention relates to radio wave antennas, and has more particularly reference to an improved high frequency antenna for use with a television receiver.

An important object of the invention is to provide a high frequency antenna of the cage type, and preferably including a plurality of cage antenna units or arms, which units or arms coact in the complete antenna to provide greatly improved television reception, as compared to reception obtained with most commercial type antennas. Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple arm or quadrant type antenna, wherein each arm or unit embodies a pair of interiitting concentrically arranged helical resonating elements or coils, terminals of the coils of each antenna arm being electrically connected with the terminals of the coils of the other arms in a unique manner, whereby all coils of the several arms of the antenna coact toward producing the improved reception in the television receiver.

A further object is to provide a television antenna of the above-mentioned character, the mechanical or physical construction of which is novel and simplified, highly compact and extremely sturdy and durable. i

A further object is to provide a television antenna which is adapted for indoor or outdoor installation, and which in a highly efcient embodiment may be small enough for incorporation in a table lamp or the like, so that the antenna may be entirely concealed from view by the lamp shade. Y

Still another object is to provide an antenna which possesses substantially the advantages of present day adinstable or rotary type antennas, the present antenna requiring merely an initial correct positioning, after which it may remain stationary and will respond equally well to most of the commercial television channels.

Another object is to provide an antenna for television receivers, which will aid in producing an image or picture on the television screen, which is notably free of ghosts or secondary images, as well as other common types of visible interference. y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an antenna in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, parts in elevation and parts omitted for the sake of simplification,

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of the antenna incorporated in a conventional table lamp,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing how the lamp shade may conceal the antenna from view,

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram showing how `the several resonating elements or coils of the-antenna arms have their terminals connected with each other and with the 2,835,893 Ice Patented May 20, 1958 terminals of the antenna cable or tape leading to the television receiver, and,

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numerals 10 and 11 designate a pair of central spaced superposed rigid disks or plates of insulating material, such as pressed brous material, a suitable sheet plastics material or the like. The disks 10 and 11 may be circular, as shown, and these disks constitute a central supporting means for the other physical components ofthe antenna. The two disks 10 and 11 are preferably centrally apertured as at 12, for the reception of a desired supporting element for the antenna, such as the vertical lamp stem 13 shown in Figure 4. It should be mentioned here however that the antenna may be supported in susbtantially any desired manner for inside or outdoor installation. For example, the apertures 12'of the disks 10 and 11 may receive a suitable pole or standard with locking nuts or the like, or the antenna may be suspended upon a bolt or the like beneath a roof or ceiling, the bolt engaging through the apertures 12 of the main supporting disks. t

There are provided preferably four circumferentially equidistantly spaced radial support arms or shafts 13 of electrically insulating material, such as wood, composition or plastics material. These arms 13 are preferably straight, and they extend radially beyond the peripheries of the disks 10 and 11 for substantial distances. The inner end portions of the arms 13 extend between the disks 10 and 11, as shown, and pairs of screws 14 orlike fastener elements engage through openings formed in the arms and disks and serve to rigidly secure the arms and disks together, as shown in the drawings. The arms and disks lthus form a rigid supporting body portion of elec trical insulating material, and the construction provided is extremely sturdy, highly compact and simplified. VAs will be apparent hereinafter, the disks 10 and 11 serve important purposes in the assembly, other than as a mounting for the arms 13 and for supporting the entire antenna construction upon a lamp, pole or the like. All electrical terminals and Wiring forming parts of the antenna are lcarried by and connected `with the disks 10 and 11 in a unique manner.

Associated with each arm or shaft 13 are a `pair of interfitting concentrically spaced helical coils or resonating elements 15 and 16. The outer coils 15 are somewhat.

larger in diameter than the inner relatively small coils 16, and the overall lengths of the helical elements 15 and 16 of each pair may be `approximately the same, as shown.

The elements 15 and 16 are formed of a suitable metallic wire and are conductors of electricity, and both coils of each pair surround the adjacent arm 13 in spaced concentric relation thereto, and extend for substantially the entire length of the arm. Each arm 13 has rigidly secured to its outer end a stepped cylindrical head or enlargement including cylindrical shoulders 17 and 18, over which the endmost coils or turns of the helical elements 15 and 16 engage, as shown at 19 and 20. The heads having thershoulders 17 and 18, like the arms 13, are formed of electrical insulating material. The arrangement is such that the coils or elements 15 and 16 are maintained concentrically spaced throughout their entire lengths, and no parts of the elements 15 and 16 contact in assembly. Also, the individual turns of the elements 15 and 16 in each pair do not physically engage or contact each other, but are spaced apart as best shown in Figure 3. The outer endsof the elements 15 and 16 are bodily supported by the shoulders 17 and18, as indicated. The free outer extremities or ends 21 and 22 of each pair of elements 15 and 16 terminate upon the shoulders 17 and 18, as shown.

At their inner ends, the helical elements 15 and 16 of each pair are formed to provide straight longitudinal extensions 23 `and 24. The extensions 23 of the outer relatively large helical elements 15 project inwardly and over the top face of the disk 10, Figure l, whereas the extensions 24 of the inner relatively small elements 16 project over thevouter face of the disk 11, as best shown in Figur'e 2. The arrangement is such that the inner longitudinal extensions 23 of all four outer coils 15 lie upon the outer surface of the disk and are xedly secured thereto by pairs of screws 25 or like fastener elements. The screws 25 extend through the extensions 23 and the disk 10 only, and they need not extend through the other disk 11.A Likewise, all of the extensions 24 of the inner coils or elements 16 lie upon the outer face of disk 11 and are iixedly secured thereto by screws or fastener elements 26. Thus, the inner ends of the pairs of intertting helical elements and 16 are bodily supported in spaced apart relation through the medium of the extensions 23 and 24 and their connections with the disks 10 and 11, as above described. The arrangement is sturdy, simpliied and highly compact.

A pair `of main electrical terminals A and B are provided, in the form of screws or the like carrying nuts 27 which are arranged above and below the disks 10 and 11 as shown in Figure 3. The terminals A and B preferably extend through both disks, as shown, and beyond their outer faces, so that the lead wires 28 of the antenna cable or tape 29 may be electrically connected with the terminals A and B upon either side of the antenna. The cable 29 extends to and is connected with terminals in the television receiver, as is well known. The arrangement of the terminals A and B whereby they extend through both disks 10 and 1l also further strengthens the assembly in the mechanical sense. Of course, if it is desired the terminals A and B need not extend through both disks V10 and 11, as shown, but may merely be secured to either disks in preferred locations. In the present embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the mainterminals A and B are located generally centrally of the disks 10 and 11, .but their location is not critical.

With particular reference to the wiring diagram in FigureV 6 and also with reference to Figures l and 2, one of the screws or fasteners and 26 for each extension 23 and 24 may serve as an electrical terminal forthe respective elements or coils 15 and 16 of the antenna, Figure 6.

As shown in Figure 6, the terminal 25 of the uppermost coil 15 is electrically connected with the main terminal `A by a wire 30. Moving clockwise in Figure 6, the

terminal 25 of the right hand large coil 15 is electrically connected with the main terminal B by a wire 31. Likewise, the terminal 25 of the next large coil 15 is connected with the terminal A by a wire 32; and the terminal 25 of the last large coil 15 is connected with the terminal B by a wire 33. lIt is thus seen that the large coils 15 have ,their terminals 25 alternately connected to opposite ones of the main terminals A and B. However, Figure 6, the large coils 15 of diametrically opposed pairs are directly connected in series through opposite ones of the main terminals A and B. That is to say, one pair of coils ,15 are connected in series through the terminal A by wires 30 and 32,V and the other pair of coils 15 are connected in series through the terminal B by wires 31 and 33. The wires 36, 31, 32 and 33 are all conveniently arranged upon the outer face of the disk 10, Figure l. By this arrangement, there is no confusion concerning the electrical connections for the several pairs of coils, because the wires serving to connect the terminals of the small coils 16 are arranged upon the outer face .of the disk 11, Figure 2, and remote from the wires 31-33.

With further reference to Figure 6 and Figure 2 of the drawings, the terminal 26 of the uppermost small coil 16 is electrically connected by a wire 34 with the main terminal B. Moving clockwise, Figure 6, the terminal 26 of the next small coil 16 is connected by a wire 35 with the main terminal A. The terminal 26 of the next coil 16 is connected by a wire 36 with the terminal B; and the terminal 26 of the tinal coil 16 is connected by a wire 37 with the main terminal A. It is now seen that the terminals 26 of small coils 16 are alternately connected with opposite ones of the main terminals A and B. It is seen further that the terminals 26 of diametrically opposed pairs of the coils 16 are electrically connected in series through the same main terminal. That is to say, one pair of coils 16 have their terminals 26 connected in series through the terminal B by wires 34 and 36. The other pair of coils 16 have their terminals 26 connected in series through the terminal A by wires 35 and 37. The arrangement in Figure 6 for the coils 16 is therefore similar to that for the coils 15, but it is to be noted that the terminals 25 and 26 of the coils 15 and 16 in each pair are connected with opposite ones of the main terminals A and B.

In use, the antenna assembled and with the electrical connections made as above described is supported in the preferred manner. As was previously mentioned, the antenna can be incorporated within a table lamp or the like, Figures 4 and 5, and if this is done it is substantially concealed from view. Any other form of support found to be desirable may be employed, and whatever support is used should be connected with the non-conducting disks 10 and 11, so that no grounded metal object will touch any of the conducting coils or resonators 15 and 16.

I have found that the antenna may be initially turned or adjusted until the weakest of the commercial channels is received by the television receiver so as to produce the best image or picture possible for that channel. This initial adjustment being made, the antenna should be left stationary, and it will be found that the other channels may be tuned in on the television receiver with remarkable clarity which is practically equal for all of the other channels. I have also found that when the above procedure is followed it frequently is unnecessary to make any adjustment of the controls of the television receiver, upon switching from one channel to the next. The image or picture produced on the screen with the use of my antenna is remarkably free of snow, ghost images and other interference. The picture has a very sharp focus, good contrast and is extremely clear in almost every case.

While a full explanation of the excellent results achieved with the antenna cannot be given and is not fully understood, it is believed that the arrangement of the pair of coils 15 and 16 in spaced concentric relation on the arms 13, coupled with the fact that the arms are equidistantly spaced circumferentially to form quadrants, are major factors in the excellent results achieved. A11 additional important factor appears to reside in the manner in which the terminals of the several coils 15 and 16 are electrically connected with each other and with the terminals A and B, as above described in detail. It is thought that the arrangement enables the several arms or units composed of a pair of coils 15 and 16 to work in conjunction or to have an additive etfect in strengthening the incoming high frequency waves or signals, and regardless of the direction or from what quadrant of the antenna the signal originates in. It is further believed that the resonating elements 15 and 16 of each cage unit or arm of the antenna tend to act upon the incoming signal in a way which will eliminate ghosts and the like from the picture. p

It is to be understood that the form of the invention, herewith shown and described` is to be taken as a preferred exampleof the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted 5 to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Antenna structure comprising a supporting disk of insulating material, a plurality of arms of insulating material radiating from the disk and secured thereto, a pair of main electrical terminals secured to the disk and adapted for connection with lead wires of a cable leading to a television receiver, a pair of conducting spirally wound elements associated with each arm and supported thereby and arranged in interiitting spaced substantially concentric relation and being free of electrical contact with each other, one spirally wound element of each pair being of smaller diameter than the other spirally wound element of the pair, corresponding ends of the spirally wound elements in each pair being secured to said disk and serving as electrical terminals, and wiring electrically connecting the terminals of said elements in each pair with the main terminals and with the terminals of the elements of another pair.

2. Antenna structure comprising non-conducting supporting means including a plurality of radiating arms, a pair of main conducting terminals secured to the supporting means and adapted for connection with the lead wires of an antenna cable leading to a television receiver, pairs of intertitting substantially concentrically spaced helical coil elements of considerable length mounted upon and surrounding said radiating arms and being spaced radially throughout their entire lengths, corresponding ends of said elements being secured to the supporting means and serving as electrical terminals, and wiring con necting the terminals of said elements in each pair with said main terminals and with the terminals of the elements of another pair.

3. Television antenna structure comprising non-conducting supporting means, a plurality of cage antenna units mounted upon said supporting means in substantially equidistantly spaced relation, each cage unit embodying an outer relatively large elongated spirally wound coil and an inner relatively small spirally Wound coil arranged within the outer coil and spaced therefrom throughout substantially the entire lengths of said coils in the pair, corresponding ends of the coils of each cage unit forming terminals, and wiring electrically connecting said terminals of the coils in each cage unit with the terminals of the coils of another cage and with the lead wires of an antenna cable leading to a television receiver.

4. Television antenna structure comprising a pair of spaced superposed disks of insulating material, a plurality of arms of insulating material radiating from said disks and having inner end portions engaging between the disks and secured to the disks to form therewith a substantially rigid insulating supporting structure, a pair of main conducting terminals carried by said disks and adapted for connection with the lead wires of a cable leading to a television receiver or the like, a pair of inner and outer concentrically spaced generally coextensive helical resonating elements mounted upon each arm and being free of electrical contact with each other and constituting a cage antenna unit, coresponding ends of said elements in yeach pair `being formed to provide longitudinal terminal extensions, the extension of the outer element in each pair engaging the outer side of one disk and the extension of the inner element of each pair engaging the outer side of the other disk, means securing said extensions to said disks, and wiring connecting said extensions with said main terminals.

5. A high frequency antenna comprising supporting means, a pair of main electrical terminals associated with the supporting means and adapted for connection with the lead wires of a cable leading to a television receiver or 'the like, opposed pairs of cage antenna units mounted upon the supporting means, each cage unit including inner and outer spaced concentrically arranged helical elements ends adapted to serve as terminals, wires electrically con; necting the terminals of the outer helical elements of opposed cage units in series through opposite ones of said main terminals, and wires electrically connecting the terminals of the inner helical elements of opposed cage units in series through opposite ones of said main terminals, the inner and outer helical elements of corresponding cage units having their terminals electrically connected with opposite ones of said main terminals.

6. An antenna comprising supporting means, a pair of main terminals associated with the supporting means, opposed pairs ot cage antenna units carried bythe supporting means, each cage unit including an outer relatively large helical coil element and an inner relatively small helical coil element arranged inside ofthe outer coil element and spaced therefrom and substantially coextensive therewith, said coil elements of each unit having corresponding ends adapted to serve as terminals, wires alternately connecting the terminals of the large helical elements with opposite ones of said main terminals progressively about the antenna array in either direction, and wires alternately connecting the terminals of the small helical elements with opposite ones of the main terminals progressively about the antenna array in either direction, the terminals of said large and small elements of each cage unit being electrically connected with opposite ones of said main terminals.

7. Antenna structure comprising a central insulating supporting member, insulating supporting arms secured to said member and extending radially beyond the same, insulating heads carried by the ends of said arms and having shoulders of different diameters, inner and outer radially spaced elongated spirally wound metallic coils surrounding each of said arms in substantially ycoextensive concentric relation to said arms and to each other and having outer end portions supported by said shoulders,

free from electrical contact and having corresponding said coils of each arm having inner extensions secured to said supporting member and serving as terminals for said coils, whereby all of the coils may be electrically connected with the terminals of an antenna tape leading to a television receiver.

8. An antenna of the multiple cage type comprising diametrically opposed pairs of axially aligned cage antenna units, means for supporting said units in fixed relation, each unit comprising an inner relatively small helical coil composed of a number of turns and having a terminal and an outer relatively large helical coil composed of a number of turns and having a terminal, said inner and outer coils of each unit being free from electrical contact with each other throughout their entire lengths, the coils of each unit being generally coextensive in length and arranged in substantially concentrically spaced relation, and means for electrically connecting the terminals of said coils with the wires of a cable leading to a television receiver.

9. An antenna comprising supporting means, a pair of rnain electrical terminals associated with the supporting means and adapted for connection with the lead wires of a cable leading to a television receiver, opposed pairs of cage antenna units mounted upon the supporting means, each cage antenna unit including inner and -outer spaced concentrically arranged elongated sleeve elements free from electrical contact and having parts at corresponding ends adapted to serve as terminals, wires electrically connecting the terminals of the outer sleeve elements of opposed cage units in series through opposite ones of said main terminals, and wires electrically connecting the terminals of the inner sleeve elements of opposed cage units in series through opposite ones of said main terminals, the inner and outer sleeve elements of corresponding cage units having their terminals electrically connected with opposite ones of said main terminals.

l0. A multiple cage quadrant antenna comprising diametrically opposed pairs of axially aligned cage antenna units, each cage antenna unit comprising an inner relatively small elongated lsleeve element having 'a part adapted to serve as a terminal and an outer relatively large elongated sleeve element having a part adapted to serve as a terminal, said inner and outer sleeve elements of each cage unit being free from electrical contact with eachother throughout their entire lengths, the sleeve elements of each antenna unit being substantially coextensive in length and arranged in substantially concentrically spaced relation, and Wiring for electricaliy connecting the terminals of the sleeve elements of each unit with the main antenna terminals of a television receiver and with the terminals of the sleeve elements of another unit.

` References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,537` Staford May 27, 1924 5 2,616,046 Marston Oct. 2S, 1952 2,682,608 Johnson June 29, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES lelical Beam Antennas for Wide-Band Applications, 10 J. D. Kraus, a reprint from the Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, vol. 36, No. 10, October 1948. 

